England will host the world champs!

ENGLAND is set to host its first major fishing world championships for more than 25 years, Angling Times can reveal.

Not since Bob Nudd’s memorable 1994 triumph at Nottingham’s Holme Pierrepont has a truly Blue Riband fishing event been held on home soil – but that’s all set to change next summer after England won the right to hold the first-ever Ladies World Carp Angling Championships.

Although the finer details of the ground-breaking event have yet to be decided, it is likely to be fished next September. 

Even at this early stage, teams from as far afield as Russia, the US and South Africa have expressed a desire to be involved, and once the final line-up is settled, a venue will be chosen. Discussions are already being held with TV companies about broadcasting options for the championships. 

Carp Team England manager Rob Hughes played a central role in formulating the bid and the ratification process. Both were submitted to FIPS Ed, the governing body of sport fishing, by the Angling Trust. 

Rob said: “This is a significant step forward for women’s competitive carp fishing, and I’m over the moon that FIPS has endorsed the proposals and that we have won the honour of hosting the inaugural event. 

Participation in competitive women’s carp fishing has risen rapidly since the first female international was held between England and Wales in 2016. That evolved into a Tri-Nations event and then an exhibition World Cup competition hosted by France last year.

Bev Clifford, manageress of the women’s team, said her charges would be entering the highly-anticipated match with bold expectations. “We’re really pleased that FIPS has recognised the importance of ladies’ carp angling as an international sport. We are really looking forward to competing and we will be doing our utmost to win historic gold on home ground,” she said.